Crusade to the Stars
by Yolo Hobo Joe
Summary: The Cutie Mark Crusaders are off once again making trouble, and causing mischief. But they find something. This is one secret that Equestria as a whole just isn't ready for. Perhaps the limit can go beyond just the sky.
1. To the Clubhouse

_"Look, here, are three little ponies, Ready to sing for this crowd, Listen up, 'cause here's our story.__"_

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><p>Rarity was hard at work, once again. A new line of dresses was in the making, while Sweetie Belle sat quietly in the corner.<p>

"Rarity?"

"Yes?" she said, without looking up.

"Isn't there any way I could help?"

"Er, yes," She paused, thinking of what her little sister could do to help without getting in the way. "Could you bring me my pin cushion? I need to finish these hems."

Sweetie Belle smiled with glee at her chance to help. She gave a salute and said, "I'm on it, sister." Unfortunately, the pin cushion was up on a shelf. She examined the situation. There were three layers to the shelf between her and the cushion. She thought, '_maybe I can climb the shelf to get to the top._' She dismissed it, as she remembered the last time she'd tried that to get to the top. An idea entered her mind, so she rushed out of the room.

As she went down the stairs, she muttered to herself, "Where would the step stool be?" Sweetie Bell emerged from the staircase, into the back room, where she and Rarity ate, did dishes, and laundry. She spied it across the room.

Sweetie Belle smiled again, as she raced across the room to get the little wooden stool. Through the window above it, a rolled up piece of paper flew in. Sweetie halted at the stool and looked at the paper. She unrolled it with her hoof, and examined the letters. It read, _Clubhouse_ _-CMC_. This was the plan that she, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo had come up with, so that instead of running into each other's homes and disturbing each other's family, they could just throw the paper in, and they could meet when they were ready.

She hadn't heard the scooter yet, so she hollered out, "I'll be there as soon as I can, Scoots! I 'm helping my sister!" An orange head with a purple mane appeared over the window sill. "Okay, just come when you can." Sweetie Belle was curious. "Why? Has something happened?" Scootaloo opened her mouth to say something, when she was interrupted by Rarity upstairs. "Sweetie Belle!?" She called, "Are you going to get the pin cushion?"

Sweetie Belle answered, "Yeah I'll be right up." She then looked to Scootaloo. "I'll be there shortly." The young orange Pegasus nodded and disappeared. Sweetie Belle grabbed the stool in her mouth, and crossed the room, dragging the the stool along the ground. She heard Scootaloo's scooter outside as the Pegasus whizzed away. She then began to work her way up the stairs, the stool banging on the steps as she went. At the top of the stairs, she turned to go back into Rarity's workroom.

Rarity didn't even look up as Sweetie Belle entered. Sweetie dragged the stool across this room too, and didn't see her older sister cringe at the sound. She centered the stool to the shelf, and climbed on. Once on, she reached for the pin cushion. she was still two shelves too short. Puzzled, yet again, Sweetie looked around the room and saw Rarity's rolls of material.

She walked over and picked them up. Then, she set them down on the stool, one beside the other. Once atop, she was still slightly too short, but only by inches. She gave a small leap, and didn't grab it. She was still too short. When she came back down, her tower was not beneath her. She slammed into the shelf, knocking everything off.

She sat in broken shelves. Rarity's eyes were tight shut, as she was too afraid too look at the damage her sister had done. Sweetie Belle chuckled slightly, and the shelf began to creak. It fell forwards. A great crash was heard. Even outside, several ponies turned their heads towards the Carousel Boutique. Sweetie kicked the back of the shelf, which is now face down, and her head appeared through the hole.

Rarity was rigid in her chair. she slowly opened her eyes and turned her head around to face the small white and pink pony and her mess. At the fallen shelf, her jaw dropped and her eye twitched. Rarity stared blankly as her sister looked ashamed. Sweetie Belle snapped to attention first. "Okaaaay." She said, "Scootaloo said she wants to see me. Bye."

She was out the door before Rarity so much as moved. The tailor just stared at the fallen shelf, not knowing what to do now.

Sweetie Belle stopped running after she was downstairs. She grabbed her cape and saddle bags. Then headed out into the shop, and out the front door. A warm breeze brushed past her face as she emerged from the elegant building. She took a deep breath and walked down the street like nothing had happened. There were ponies out enjoying the day all over ponyville.

Sweetie Belle crossed the town square, where Mayor Mare was being followed by three ponies, each holding an inked qill and very important documents. There were ponies at fruit stands too. As far the eye could see there were ponies outside doing something. Her thoughts wandered to Rarity and why she wasn't outside enjoying the day.

Her thoughts were interrupted as one of the vendors called her name. " 'Ey, Sweetie Belle!" He called. She looked over at him. "Want a banana? It's fresh from Manehatten. On me." She smiled. "Sure, toss it here." He gave the yellow fruit a toss and she leaped for it. It landed in her saddlebag. "Thanks Banana Split. Have a nice day."

"You too Sweetie Belle." he responded with a smile.

She continued to walk down the street until she got to the end. Then, she took a left, and headed toward Sweet Apple Acres, in the back fields where their club house is. She didn't take the road that led directly to Sweet Apple Acres. The Crusaders had a secret entrance to the fields, which consisted of a hole dug under the fence.

It wasn't far from the entrance to the field to the actual club house itself. She could hear Apple Bloom and Scootaloo before she saw them. She caught part of their dialogue as she ran towards their tree house.

"Cutie Mark Crusader Explorers!" suggested Scootaloo.

"Okay, and if that don't work then we could..." Apple Bloom was thinking very hard on these. "Bug catchers!" She finally exclaimed right before Sweetie Belle burst in the door.

"Hey Sweetie Belle." Both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo greeted her.

"Hey Scootaloo, hey Apple Bloom. Whats the occasion for the letter?" Asked Sweetie Belle.

They looked at each other with big grins on their faces. "Today is the day we're finally going to get our cutie marks!" They shouted.

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><p><em>"We're gonna sing it very loud!"<em>

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><p><strong>Next Chapter: Soon<strong>

**/)**


	2. The Perfect Plan

"Okay." Said Sweetie belle, "What ideas do you have? All I heard was, bug catchers and explorers and I'm not doing bug catchers." Apple Bloom was disappointed.

"Well..." said Scootaloo, as she looked up at the ceiling at an angle, and rubbed her chin with one of her fore-hooves.

Apple Bloom opened right up, and said, "We're comin' up with ideas right now. We need yer help."

Sweetie Belle smiled. "Okay, I like the explorers idea, but Rarity would kill me if I got too dirty. Also, what kind of explorers should we be? I mean, there are lots of different kinds of explorers." At her comment, Scootaloo smiled in large grin, then gave her reply, "I know Rainbow Dash likes Daring Do. She's an explorer. Maybe we could read one of her books to get some ideas.

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom shook their heads and the yellow earth pony dismissed the idea with, "No, this needs to be our adventure. Besides, I don't think Applejack would let me read them. They're adult books." Scootaloo looked at Apple Bloom with a disbelieving look on her face. Sweetie Belle nodded in agreement with Apple Bloom "Also, Daring Do is an archaeologist." said the pink unicorn.

Apple Bloom was puzzled. "Arch... Archae-" She was cut off by Scootaloo, who said, "Archae what now!?" Sweetie Belle face-hoofed. "Archaeology is the study of artifacts and ancient architecture." Scootaloo coughed, but it sounded a lot like "Dictionary." Applebloom tried to stifle a laugh and Sweetie Belle gave Scootaloo a nasty look, while the orange pegasus sat there smiling. They held their poses for a few moments.

Finally, Sweetie Belle broke the silence, "Lets get back on track."

"Okay," Said Apple Bloom, "How about this, Cutie Mark Crusaders Cave Explorers." Sweetie Belle was doubtful, "Cave explorers? Really?"

Scootaloo, who agreed with the yellow pony, and Apple Bloom were determined. "Sure, why not?" said the pegasus.

Sweetie Belle broke, "Fine, but where are we going to find a cave around here?" Apple Bloom started to respond, but was cut off by the unicorn. "No, I am not going into the Everfree Forest again."

Apple Bloom shook her head, "I wasn't goin' 't say that. There's a cave here on Sweet Apple Acres."

Sweetie Belle was not convinced. "There's no cave on Sweet Apple Acres."

Apple Bloom was hesitant, "Well, actually its more of a..." She was cut off again by Scootaloo. "Say no more Apple Bloom. Whatever it is it'll work."

Sweetie Belle was out voted, so she pulled a crayon and a piece of paper out of her saddlebags and began to write. She wrote 'Explorers' across the top, and then about a quarter of the way down the page, she drew a check box and beside that, she wrote 'Cavers.' After setting down the crayon, she said. "Alright, today's topic is, explorers. Are there any more ideas?"

They sat for the better part of an hour tossing ideas around, before they decided to add 'Inventing' to their list, giving them a total of two options.

"Okay, Meet back here in an hour after everything is gathered up." Said Scootaloo. Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle nodded in agreement. Then, the three friends split off in different directions. Apple Bloom, to get the flash lights, Scootaloo to fetch their wagon, and Sweetie Belle went into town to get something which she said was a 'surprise.'

Scootaloo raced down the road, the wind flowing through her mane. She flapped her small wings, and leaned forward. There was a trailer sitting on the side of the road half-filled bushels of apples. She turned her scooter to face the cart, and drove up the angled bed. She leaped over the apples and did a three-sixty spin, before landing it perfectly.

Stunned by the success, she stopped and stared back at the cart, and beamed. She heard a whistle coming from the fields next to the road, on the side that the apple cart was on. Applejack was standing there at the base of a tree with apple baskets at the base. "Hey, Applejack." Said Scootaloo.

"Howdy Scoots." Said Applejack, "That was a mighty fine stunt ya pulled there. Where'd ya learn 't do somethin' like that?"

The pegasus shrugged. "I dunno, guess its in my genes."

Applejack laughed, "Ya know what that sayin' means, hun?"

Scootaloo paused, "Er... no. Is it bad?"

Applejack laughed again, "Nah, just wonderin'. Say, you seen Apple Bloom anywhere? She's supposed to re-fill Winona's water bowl."

"Sure, she went back your house to get some flash lights. I'll tell her when I see her."

Applejack nodded, "Thanks, sugar cube." Applejack leaned on her fore-hooves and her rear hooves shot out and struck the trunk of the tree she was standing under. Scootaloo shuttered as it sounded so painful. She saw every apple in the tree fall into the baskets that Applejack had set around it. Not a single one missed.

"Well, gotta fly." said Scootaloo.

Applejack looked up and said, "Bye now."

Scootaloo waved, then proceeded at a much slower pace than she had originally been going at. She was deep in thought over what she had said.

Why did she say "Gotta fly?" She couldn't fly. It had been her weak point since she first started school. She thought about how she loved to catch air on her scooter. It was the closest she'd ever come to actually flying, besides gliding and hovering. When she hit a big jump, It was exhilarating. Adrenaline pumped through her body. Was this what flying was like? Was it actually as intense and fun as hitting a big ramp, pit, or... cart?

Anyway, she knew her mission and she needed to get the wagon. Daydreams of flying would have to come after caving and inventing. Rainbow Dash had always told her that even Spitfire's wings were too small when she was a filly, yet she turned out to be the strongest flyer in all of Equestria. Not only that, but she was the leader of the Wonderbolts. The greatest team of flyers in all of Equestria.

Maybe Scootaloo's talent was flying and she just wasn't old enough yet. Maybe when her wings grow in, she'll really be able to show Equestria what she can do.

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><p><strong>Next chapter: Soon!<strong>

**/)**


	3. Into the Depths

It was mid-afternoon by the time that all three of them met back up. Apple Bloom had flashlights in her saddlebags, and Scootaloo had brought the wagon. Sweetie Belle had brought three packs full on shovels, water, apples, compasses, and other essential exploration equipment. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom watched as she dragged the three packs into their clearing in Sweet Apple Acres.

"There." said Sweetie Belle.

Apple Bloom was curious. "What's all this stuff fer?"

Sweetie Belle smiled. "When we go caving, of course."

Scootaloo face-hoofed, "Why do we need all this stuff?"

"Yeah," Apple Bloom added, "The hole ain't THAT big."

"I wanted to be prepared, besides it looks cool." Said Sweetie Belle, still smiling.

"It does look cool." Scootaloo admitted.

They each put a pack on and they were ready to go.

Apple Bloom stopped while she was putting on her pack. "Wait, why'd I need 't go get flashlights while you," she pointed at Sweetie Belle, "Had 'nuff time to get all this gear?"

Sweetie Belle shrugged. "I don't have any flashlights."

Apple Bloom mumbled too quiet for anypony else to hear, so Scootaloo spoke, "Well I guess this explains why you're so late."

"I'm not late," said Sweetie Belle, "I was only gone for forty five minutes."

Apple Bloom stopped muttering and shook her head, "Hate 't break it to ya, but you've been gone way longer than that."

"I was watching the clock the whole time!" Yelled the white unicorn.

"Which one?" asked Scootaloo.

"The one in the town square."

Scootaloo shook her head. "The one's broken."

Sweetie Belle was not convinced, "Broken? How is it broken?"

Scootaloo thought back to that night, after everypony had gone to bed and silence had fallen over ponyville. How had she ever thought that riding her scooter over the rooftops was a good idea. She remembered how she'd slipped while going around the town square, and smashed into the clock.

"Not important." Scootaloo said. "Apple Bloom, you said you knew of a cave."

Finally they all moved on and perked up.

"Right that way." Apple Bloom said, "Its not far."

Scootaloo had been unable to get her pack on, so she threw it in the wagon. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom climbed into the wagon.

"Wooooaaaah!" They said, as Scootaloo rush off upon her scooter before Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle had sat down. The orange pegasus looked back over her shoulder, "Sorry." She said.

The three of them passed through the orchard at a very fast pace. The trees were blurs as the scooter whizzed by. It wasn't long, before they arrived at the base of a large apple tree, so big that it took up four spaces in the orchard, that should go to individual trees.

Apple Bloom looked up at the mass of the tree. "This was planted by Granny Smith. It was the first tree on the farm."

Scootaloo saw the ground at the base of the tree, where there was a hole just barely big enough for a filly to fit. "Is that your cave?"

Apple Bloom gave an embarrassed smile. and nodded

"Its barely big enough to be a rabbit hole! How is this going to work?" The pegasus continued.

Sweetie Belle intervened. "Maybe it opens up farther down. I cant exactly see the bottom."

Apple Bloom was relieved. "Yeah, who knows how far it goes."

They all nodded and began to pull out their flashlights, all except for Sweetie Belle, who looked like her head was going to explode. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom stopped and stared at Sweetie Belle.

"Are you alright?" asked Scootaloo.

Sweetie Belle let out a breath that she had been holding, and relaxed as her concentration faltered.

"I'm fine." she responded, "It's just that the last time I saw Twilight I was able to finish the illumination spell.

"So..." said the impatient orange pegasus.

"So I may not need to use my flashlight, maybe I can just use my horn." Sweetie Belle pointed out.

Once again she slammed her eyes shut and held her breath. Apple Bloom and Scootaloo exchanged looks. Then looked back at Sweetie Belle. A few green sparks came from the tip of the horn. They fell to the ground and disappeared. When suddenly, a bright light erupted from the horn, blinding at first, as Scootaloo and Apple Bloom shaded their eyes. The light dulled and Sweetie Belle lay panting on the ground, her legs thrown out from beneath her. A faint glow emitting from her head and around her horn.

She opened her eyes and dazed, said, "Did it work?"

She shook her head and looked up with her eyes, a huge smile crossed her face.

"That was awesome!" exclaimed Scootaloo, "Where did you learn to do that?"

"Twilight time." The proud white unicorn said. "Are we ready to go?"

The three of them looked at the hole. "Who's first?" asked Apple Bloom

"I'll go." Said Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo at the same time.

The three ponies laughed, then scootaloo made an 'after you' motion and the unicorn nodded. They proceeded down into the hole. First Sweetie Belle, then Scootaloo, and finally Apple Bloom.

It was a single tunnel that went down at a fairly steep incline. The fillies almost had to crawl the ceiling was so low, and someponies would easily get claustrophobic in it, as the root-filled damp walls brushed their flanks. After about ten minutes of continuous conditions, the ceiling began to rise and walls peel away.

The tunnel opened up into a small chamber, the ceiling was still low, for a full-grown pony, and littered with tangling roots from the orchard. The walls however, bore less roots as they came down. The ground was stone, ancient and cold. Nopony had been here in a long time, if ever.

There were two other routes that the fillies could take. They both went to the ponies' right, but one went up, the other went down.

"What now?" asked the yellow earth pony, whose hair bow was surprisingly unscathed.

"I say we go down." said Scootaloo. "I may not like tight places, but this is fun, lets keep going.

"I dunno." Said Sweetie Belle. "If your mind is made up, then lets continue. Lead the way."

Scootaloo nodded then disappeared down the lower path, this tunnel easily twice the size of the initial entry route. And so, with Scootaloo leading them on, they proceeded into darkness and unknown driven by little more than curiosity and a desire for fate. What lay in front of them nopony could guess.

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><p><strong>Next Chapter: soon!<strong>

**/)**


	4. It's a Trap

_"Don't call me things I don't know the meaning of."_

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><p>The tunnel was dark, dank and would have been unnerving for anypony with any sense, but the Crusaders pushed on, for hundreds of feet, they traveled at a moderate pace. The suspense hung over, like a dark cloud, and the tension it created could practically have been cut like a string. As such, the young adventurers were silent.<p>

Scootaloo was getting nervous, they had to have been walking straight for at least two hours, or so it felt. Apple Bloom's teeth chattered as an unusual feeling of fear creeped upon her. Sweetie Belle, kept her mind off of the current situation, and tried to remember the route out. Suddenly, her glowing horn began to kind of blink, slowly. The magic would ease on, then ease off again. Twilight had told her that strange things can happen if spells overlap. Her illumination spell must be active in the same proximity to a separate spell.

"Hold on." She said.

Scootaloo looked back at her over her shoulder. "What?"

Sweetie Belle met her gaze. "I think there's a spell in here."

"W-what kinda spell?" asked Apple Bloom.

Sweetie Belle shrugged. "I dunno, but I think we walked right into a trap."

Scootaloo growled and stamped her hoof on the ground so hard, that a small cloud of dust appeared. "I knew this wasn't a good idea."

Apple Bloom paused for a moment, a thoughtful look on her face. "Awe ponyfeathers, what kinda spell is it?"

"Don't look at me." said Scootaloo, "I'm about as good with magic as I am at flying."

Sweetie Belle groaned. "Come on. What kind of spell would you put on a tunnel that a pony can barely fit through?"

They all put a hoof on their chins and began to brainstorm.

"A cave-in spell!" suggested Apple Bloom

Sweetie Belle shook her head. "No, if you cave the tunnel in, then you can't go through it again."

Apple Bloom went back to her brainstorm pose.

"A levitation spell." proposed Scootaloo.

"Underground?" asked Apple Bloom. "Are you crazy?"

"You don't know!" snapped Scootaloo.

"I know there can't be a levitation spell underground!" Apple Bloom retorted.

"Why not?" asked Scoots

"Beca-" The yellow filly hesitated. " 'Cause there just can't"

Sweetie belle looked up at the ceiling "Oh, Celestia."

"What?" Scootaloo and and Apple Bloom asked as they looked up.

"You two keep arguing and not helping. For all I know the spell could be leaking from the Everfree Forest. I don't even know if we are under the Everfree. We should be at this rate, but if we keep arguing, we'll never know!" Ranted Sweetie Belle.

"We don't keep arguing!" Scootaloo protested. "Apple Bloom is just wrong. She's lost in the maze that is her head."

"lost..." Apple Bloom muttered.

Sweete Belle looked more offended than Apple Bloom. "You do argue! And how can you say such a thing about one of your closest friends?"

"Lost." Said Apple Bloom, this time with more emphasis.

The two agitated fillies ignored her. "I can say such a thing, because its true." "Don't be such a dunder-head!" "How many times do I have to tell you not to call me things I don't know the meaning of?" The fighting duo continued

"Lost!" Apple Bloom yelled, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle snapped their attention to Apple Bloom, shocked looks upon their faces.

"Yeah, I said you were lost." said the orange Pegasus.

"No no. What kind of spell would you put on a tunnel tha's only the size of a pony? The answer's so obvious!" stated a now very excited red-maned filly.

Sweetie Belle followed her line of thought and her face lit up as well. She gasped and turned to Scootaloo, who was still clueless.

"Why, a lost spell! A spell that makes ponies lost." Smiled Apple Bloom.

She turned around and they all stared down the corridor in the direction they had been moving. Upon identification, the spell was lifted. The tunnel shimmered in their lights, and re-shaped to lead them onward. They glanced back over their shoulders to see the room that they were in about an hour ago.

"Hold on." said Apple Bloom and she raced back into the room. She returned a few moments later, trailing her rope behind her. It was looped through a hook on her pack, and was leaving a trail behind her. "In case we get lost again."

The fillies giggled. Scootaloo spoke up, "Alright, that's one puzzle down. Anything else this cave can throw at us, we'll be ready."

Sweetie Belle was curious. "Should there be any more traps?"

Scootaloo held a daring look on her face. "We can assume so, that lost spell was here for a reason. We can only assume its here to protect something."

Sweetie Belle's eyes lit up and Apple Bloom could have sworn she saw diamonds in her eyes. "Maybe there's treasure!" Sweetie Belle exclaimed.

"Maybe." said Scootaloo, as she rolled her eyes. "But we'll never find out standing here. We need to keep going."

"Cutie Mark Crusader Cavers" They all yelled as they high-hoofed each-other in the way that they do.

With that, with renewed vigor and energy, the bolted Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle following, with Scootaloo on point.

They slowed down soon, after Apple Bloom tripped dropped her light, and they all laughed. It was pointless to run in a tunnel so small. They walked, tighter together their eyes peeled for anything that may be out of the ordinary, for a place that none of them had been before.

Suddenly, Scootaloo stopped.

"What's wrong?' asked Sweetie Belle.

Scootaloo took a step back and took the light out of her mouth and held it in her hoof. "Don't you see them?"

"See what?" asked Sweetie Belle?

The purple-maned Pegasus was shaking in fear. Apple Bloom, who also held her light in her hoof, said "I see 'em too."

"T-t-t-timb..." Scootaloo stuttered

"Timber-wolves!" yelled Apple Bloom.

Sweetie Belle's eyes also went wide, and she looked around. "Where? I don't see them!"

Scootaloo and Apple Bloom saw green eyes fill the tunnel in front of them. Three sets emerged, revealing three timber-wolves. The Crusaders backed against the wall. The wooden, magical wolf-like creatures slowly stalked towards them. The two fillies, eyes wide and shaking in terror, held each-other in an embrace. Sweetie Belle paced back and forth in a panic, she still didn't see them.

"Goodbye Scootaloo!" cried Apple Bloom. "Goodbye Apple Bloom." Said Scootaloo, whose voice was very shaky. The timber-wolves pounced. They flew through the air, towards the shuddering fillies. They cringed and slammed their eyes shut, and held their heads against each-other's chests. But the teeth never came. After a few moments, Scootaloo opened her eyes, a timber-wolf was suspended in the air inches away from her nose, claws outstretched.

With one hoof she let go of Apple Bloom, who was still tense as a lion-handler in a tiger cage and had tears coming out of her eyes, and touched the timber-wolf. The wolves disappeared, as did the glowing eyes, leaving a very confused Unicorn, a terrified little earth-pony, and a smiling young Pegasus.

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><p><em>"It's too dangerous out here, Captain."<em>

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><p><strong>Next Chapter: Soon!<strong>

**So, thoughts so far? Hate it? Like it? Why?**

**/) to all you readers.**


	5. The End or the Beginning

"They're gone!" Scootaloo exclaimed.

Apple Bloom didn't look up, but her crying stopped. "A-are ya sure?" Scootaloo nodded and let go of Apple Bloom. Still scared stiff, she stood shaking, her head held low.

"What!?" exclaimed Sweetie Belle, her voice cracking in the way that it does. "Gone? What do you mean gone? I never saw anything!"

Scootaloo shrugged. "I dunno. All I know is that I saw them. They were here."

Apple Bloom was gradually regaining her composure. "How could ya n-not have seen 'em? They jumped right over ya." Scootaloo nodded in agreement.

Sweetie Belle sighed. "You know what? I'm leaving. This was a terrible idea! We're supposed to be Cutie Mark Crusader Cavers, not get into trouble with monsters and magic."

Scootaloo challenged Sweetie's remark."I don't know about you, but if those were real timber-wolves, they would have shredded us." Sweetie Belle met Scootaloo's gaze with squinted, doubting eyes. "What are you saying?"

Scootaloo, proud that she had Sweetie Belle's curiosity again, explained. "They disappeared, and you didn't see them. They couldn't have been real. If anything, I bet it was another trap to keep ponies away from whatever is at the end of this cave."

Sweetie Belle raised an eyebrow. "Another trap? Then why didn't I see it or, if it was magic, why didn't I feel it?"

Scootaloo paused. "I don't know. Maybe it's because you're a unicorn. Ponies can make things happen without the help of magic, right? Remember Trixie? She made flashes of light and swirls of color without using her horn."

Sweetie Belle rolled her eyes. "Magic doesn't work like that, you dodo. And Trixie used fireworks. That's not magic, it means she's been to Fillydelphia."

While they were arguing, Apple Bloom shook her head. They were dead opposites, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle. She got up and faced deeper into the cave. She let her friends argue for a moment longer, before looking back over her shoulder. "Are ya'll gonna sit there and fight all day? Or are we gonna see what's at the end of the cave?"

Again, Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle looked at her. They felt akward.

"Well she started it." said Sweetie Belle

Scootaloo looked shocked. "Wha-!"

Apple Bloom gave them a threatening look. They looked down at their hooves in shame. "Sorry." Sweetie Belle said. "Sorry." Scootaloo said.

Apple Bloom held her head high. "Now," she began. She went and stood next to Scootaloo and Sweetie Belle, so that they were shoulder to shoulder. "We can't argue like this. We wanna earn our cutie marks, and it ain't gonna happen with us standing around here. So what are we waiting for? Lets go."

"Yeah!" said Scootaloo. They began go even deeper into the cave.

The deeper they went, the larger the tunnel seemed to grow. They made it about three and a half minutes, before Scootaloo broke their silence. "Do you think there are any more traps?" She asked.

"I don't know." said Sweetie Belle. "Maybe. We've gotta expect more."

"Whatta ya mean?" Scootaloo continued.

"I think yall're both wrong." said Apple Bloom.

"What?" said Scootaloo.

"Why?" said Sweetie Belle.

They both looked at her with curious expressions on their faces. "B'cause. We've hit a dead end." Apple Bloom pointed out. Sure enough. There was nowhere left to go. The cave, which was still moist and dank and now almost completely stone, was rounded off. It opened up again, but there were no other ways out. The Cave had come to a very abrupt end.

Sweetie Belle's horn flashed again, and Scootaloo's and Apple Bloom's flashlights went out. The fillies looked at each-other for a moment. "You did use fresh batteries, right Apple Bloom?" Said Scootaloo, with an accusing look on her face.

"Wha! Why, of course I used fresh batteries, didn't ya see the way Sweetie Belle's horn flashed? We must be under another spell to stop flashlights from working." Apple Bloom suggested.

Sweetie Belle, had been hesitant from the very beginning about this venture. Now, both Scootaloo and Apple Bloom looked watched her, her horn the only light-source in the chamber.

She walked over to the wall, and began eyeing it closely. After a few minutes, Sweetie just shrugged. "Well girls," she said, "It looks like whatever treasure was here is gone now."

She made to walk back towards the exit, when she was stopped by Apple Bloom's voice. "Wait just one moment." The pony went and examined a portion of the wall. It was flat and there were vertical lines going from the top, to the bottom. They gave an arched appearance. Sweetie Belle had seen them and come to the same conclusion that Apple Bloom was. She had just hoped that they wouldn't notice.

"Now, just what d'ya reckon that is?" Apple Bloom asked, pointing out the formation to Scootaloo. A huge smile crossed her face. "A door!" exclaimed Scootaloo. "The last trick! Wow, it's so hard to notice, it looks like part of the wall!"

Sweetie Belle turned around to face them. She sighed. "It's not a trick. It's just that time can turn wood to stone, or at least, almost."

Scootaloo nodded. "Okay, then how do we open it?" She walked up to it and pushed at hard as she could. It didn't budge. "Ugh. Its like trying to push a brick wall." She realized the concept of her comment right after she said it. Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom laughed.

Scootaloo rolled her eyes. "You two got a better idea?" she asked.

"As a matter of fact I do." said Apple Bloom.

Scootaloo was curious, but she wouldn't show it. "Oh yeah? Lets see it."

"Hmmf" said Apple Bloom, while she held her head high and closed her eyes, as she trotted past Scootaloo, looking prim and proper. In one fluid motion, she suddenly burst into a trot. Then, she planted her fore-hooves into the ground. Finally, she threw her flanks around and delivered a very powerful buck into the wall. The Stone-covered door, cracked and splintered, revealing ancient wood.

Scootaloo's and Sweetie Belle's jaws dropped as they gaped in amazement. The cloud of dust kicked up settled and Apple Bloom shook herself and twirled her mane. It fell even, as if she hadn't exerted any energy whatsoever.

"I've been practicing." She said.

The two stunned fillies shook themselves. "Alright, Apple Bloom!" Scootaloo cried. "That was so cool. Now, what're we standing around here for? Let's get inside!"

The fillies turned towards the entrance and what was revealed was not a treasure-trove of gold, diamonds, or ancient apple seeds. Sitting half-buried by stone, and long forgotten by time, was a metal cylinder with some kind of antennae coming out of the top. A dull red light flashed on a dark green panel.

"What the hay is it?" asked Apple Bloom. Scootaloo reached out one fore-hoof and almost touched it.

"Don't touch it, you dolt!" scolded Sweetie Belle, "You don't know what it is!"

Scootaloo looked over her shoulder, "Thanks mom." she said with a roll of her eyes.

She pushed the button that was the glowing red light, and a mechanical sound came from ancient circuits and mechanisms within the device. An automated female voice said, "Transport activated."

"Wha-" was all they said, before they found themselves being whisked away, a feeling that only Sweetie Belle recognized. A teleport.

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><p><strong>Next Chapter: Soon<strong>

**Still, this story is missing something. Any ideas? Leave a comment.**

**/) to the readers, who have read this far. XD**


	6. Something Gone Wrong

Teleportation is a strange feeling. There's nothing quite like it. Sweetie Belle had been teleported before, in twilight's library. The experienced amazed her. The closest thing that it could have been related to is weightlessness. You were taken momentarily into a magical world, where colors were vivid and swirling, and sparkles twinkled in the background.

This time, however was entirely different. It was cold, and harsh. Instead of the careful weightlessness, it was as if the ground were yanked out from beneath her. She was pushed through walls, caves, pits, mountains, skies, and everything was a blur. Colors went by in flashes of imagery. The G-forces crushing her body, and giving her an agonizing pain.

Twilight had taught her never to move in a teleport, to stay as perfectly still as possible. The reason being, it throws the magic off, and it has to find you, or make adjustments. It also hurts, a lot. She didn't know why, it just did. That's the way the magic works.

To Sweetie Belle, it was like there were thousands of fire ants inside her coat, each one biting a thousand times a second. She barely moved a muscle. It felt like the teleport lasted forever, and less than a moment, at the same time. This was not the way teleports were supposed to feel. In reality, she had been in the teleport for less than a minute.

The next thing she knew, she was standing upright, alone, in some place. The floor was metal, and there was darkness in every direction. The teleport had broken her illumination spell. She was weakened by the teleport to the extent that she couldn't move. She did, however gasp for air. She hadn't taken a single breath the whole time. Her legs tried to collapse, but she caught herself.

After a few moments, there was a bright flash of light, and Scootaloo appeared right next to her. Then another, and Apple Bloom appeared. The teleport was complete. The three fillies were now in wherever they are now. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom were panting twice as hard as Sweetie Belle, and they were trembling. Apple Bloom collapsed onto the ground and curled into a ball.

They sat for a second or two, catching their breath, and then Scootaloo broke the silence, "Is everypony alright? What was that?"

Apple Bloom moaned and waved her right fore-hoof in the air.

Sweetie Belle nodded and said, "I'm fine, just shaken up a bit. That, was a teleport gone wrong."

Scootaloo nodded and took a deep breath, exhaled, then closed her eyes for a second. She re-opened them and her fire had been re-kindled. Her determination re-sparked as if it had never been doused. It was visible in her eyes.

"Alright," she said, and produced her flash light. It still didn't work. "Harn" she said past a mouthful of plastic.

Sweetie Belle slammed her eyes shut and re-lit her illumination spell. In front of them was a wall, it resembled something out of a science-fiction comic, but also looked like the ancient walls of a mountain. There was mold and fungus growing out of several locations along it's surface. The color was indeterminate, but easily a shade of green, only healthy around a pond.

There was a panel on the wall and Scootaloo made to walk towards it, and opened the panel, revealing several switches and buttons. There was no light in this place, except for Sweetie Belle's horn.

"Are you crazy?" the white unicorn scolded, "Remember what happened last time you touch something that you didn't recognize?" She motioned to Apple Bloom,who was now just standing there, taking in her surroundings. "What?" asked Apple Bloom.

Sweetie Belle shook her head. Apple Bloom looked at Scootaloo, "Where are we?"

The grounded pegasus was stumped, she shrugged and said, "I dunno, but I have a good feeling about this place." She reached out with her fore-hoof and flipped a switch. Sweetie Belle braced for something, but nothing happened. She eased open on eye, and Scootaloo flipped the switch back. "It's dead." she said.

Sweetie Belle shook her head. "Nonono. I need to get back to Rarity's before Dinner. Oh, she'll kill me."

"Well you can go back." said Scootaloo, "I'm going to explore some more."

"How do I get out of here?" Sweetie Belle was beginning to panic.

Apple Bloom put a hoof to her shoulder. "I'm sure Rarity won't care if ya'll're a little late. Besides, there's no way outta here, we need to look around."

"Oh, come on! Rarity will be so upset if I'm even a little bit late. She says, 'Punctuation?' No, 'punctuality is the best quality.'" Sweetie Belle countered.

"Ya'll are gonna keep fighin' like this an' we ain't ever gonna get our cutie marks." The yellow pony pointed out. "Like I said, there's no clear way outta here, so the best thing we can do, is ta find a way out."

"Yeah," Scootaloo agreed. "You can't go back from here. I don't know what that thing was, but I didn't like it. Although, I we find another, I'll bet it can take us back to Ponyville."

Sweetie Belle groaned. "Fine."

"So it's decided then. We keep looking on?" proposed Scootaloo.

"Yes." Sweetie moaned.

"Yup." said Apple Bloom. "Both ya'll have had a chance to lead, so now it's my turn. Lets go."

decided to go the the right, from where the teleported in, and as far as they could tell, it was all the same. The metal-rock was continuous on the ground, ceiling, and walls. Sweetie Belle's light only showed a few feet however, and something soon appeared, which looked like a double-door frame. It was fused shut.

"Now what d'ya'll reckon that is?" Apple Bloom asked.

"A door." Said Scootaloo. "But I don't think it works. The switch back where we first came in didn't work. I don't think the door will either."

"Well it looks like I'm here for the long-haul." said Sweetie Belle. Her curiosity finally getting the better of her. "Cutie Mark Crusader Cavers?"

"Cutie Mark Crusader Cavers!" cried Scootaloo and Apple Bloom. Then they jumped and did their three-way high-hoof and yelled "Yeah!"

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><p><strong>Next Chapter: Soon<strong>

**Sorry its been a while. Got caught up in real life, and TF2 and forgot to post. How's it going so far? Like? Dislike? Why? Leave a comment.**

**/)**


	7. A Place Unknown

They continued to walk down the hallway. They past three more doorways, similar to the first one they investigated. All of the doors were sealed shut, and they seemed to be relatively evenly spaced. The fourth door, was not a frame carved into the wall, like the others. It was a half-cylinder that jutted out into the wide hallway. It bore the same shade of gray, and just like everything else, looked like metal, but felt like rock. Time had not been kind to wherever this place was.

"What do you think that is?" Asked Scootaloo.

"I dunno, but I bet it used ta lead somewhere." Apple Bloom replied.

Scootaloo rolled her eyes and said, "Ya don't say."

"Come on. we need to keep going, or we'll never find out where we are." Sweetie Belle said.

"We don't even know where we're going. Why should we rush to a place that we don't even know?" Scootaloo countered.

Sweetie Belle shook her head with an unamused look on her face. They kept walking. The next door they came to, was not only open, but it was absolutely destroyed, there wasn't even a door in the frame. There was a room on the other side, darker than Nighmare Moon's heart.

"Whoa." said Apple Bloom. "I'd hate ta come across whatever could do that." She gestured to the door.

"You can say that again." Scootaloo said.

"Whoa-" Apple Bloom began

"I don't think she means it literally." Said Sweetie Belle.

Within the room, was a single red button, glowing ever so faintly, and flashing even fainter. Scootaloo was immediately entranced by the light. The second she spotted it, Sweetie Belle said, "No, no more buttons."

"But-" Scootaloo started. She was cut off by Sweetie Belle, who made a 'drop it' gesture with her hoof. Scootaloo growled and held her head low as they began to explore the room.

It was very open, with two consoles in the center, each with chairs behind them, and a single chair between and behind the consoles that was open and had no console directly in front of it. There were, however, consoles in each arm of the chair. Behind even that around the edges of the room were more stations, with their screens up on the walls. It still looked ancient and futuristic at the same time. While Sweetie Belle was looking around, she noticed both Apple Bloom and Scootaloo standing around the red button.

She went over to question them on what they were doing. "What now?" she asked.

"I had a thought," said Apple Bloom, "What if this button sends up home? I mean, it looks an awful lot like the one we saw in the cave."

They all looked at it for a moment longer, before Scootaloo pressed it.

The button went dark, and the Crusaders thought nothing of it. Although, there was an electric current flowing through a still-operable, though badly damaged circuit. It was the only circuit still working in the entire place. It was the start up switch.

After a few moments, the Crusaders heard a sound coming from way beneath them. It sounded like a low hum and over the course of a few seconds, it increased in tone. The until it faded out.

"What was that?" Asked Scootaloo.

"I dunno, but I think your button is what started it, whatever it is." said Sweetie Belle.

Fear once again wormed its way into their hearts. The ground shook for a moment, then stabilized itself.

"Ya know somethin' Sweetie Belle?" asked Apple Bloom.

"What?" Sweetie responded.

"Ya'll could probably write a book about this." Apple Bloom suggested.

"Maybe we can put that down for next Wednesday's Cutie Mark Crusade." Sweetie Belle said, putting it off.

A large screen, which they hadn't noticed before, suddenly glowed green. It took up the majority of the wall, that the chairs were facing. It glowed for a few seconds, before it flashed white and exploded shattered glass out into the room, revealing smoking circuits, and sparking wires.

It seemed suddenly, like in infestation of glowing bugs swarmed the broken screen and areas around it. The walls crawled with the little creatures. They were, in fact, not creatures, but tiny robots designed to fix damaged machines.

The Crusaders watch as the swarm built the glass back up, and the smoking stopped. The wall around the screen was now white as a cloud, with a golden trim along the base, and a red stripe half-way up. The screen began to glow green again, and in a few moments, showed a three-dimensional model of something. It was a ship of some kind. It had a flat diamond shaped portion, which resembled a saucer. The main body, was like a long tube, and in the very back, coming off the tube were smaller tubes angling towards the rear, the engines. There were windows and hatches and many other things adorning the hull.

They had seen these kind of things before in comic shops and bookstores, but had never given them any thought. And yet, here they were, standing in a science-fiction situation.

A word appeared above the image. It read, "_Diagnostic_". Suddenly, almost the entire image glowed red. The Crusaders waited in silence. and stared blankly at the screen. The lights came on.

They could now clearly see the room for what it was. It looked like a control room of some kind, with monitors and screens on the walls, with seats and panels in the middle of the room. The chair, which had no screen or station, they could now tell to be a captain's chair.

The screen flashed again, as the bug things aligned it one more time, before beginning their work on the floor. They were cleaning the stone and returning it to metal, then making carpet over the top of it. Whatever this place was it seemed alive.

Then, it spoke. _"Damage critical. Deploying reconstruction micros."_ The "micros" were already working on the room they were in, but more tried to activate out in the hallway, but shorted out almost instantly due to age.

The micros in the room stopped what they were doing and began to duplicate themselves. Their numbers tripled in seconds, then the new ones went out through vents, the door, and any other opening in the room.

The place spoke again, "Greetings, and welcome to the G.E.C Crusader. Running crew occupancy scan..."

...

"...Scan complete total crew occupancy, zero. Captain condition deceased."

Apple Bloom spoke up first, "I have a question. Where are we and what's a G.E.C Crusader?"

The voice responded, "You are on the G.E.C Crusader. The Crusader is a Galactic Exploration Cruiser designed to travel to new, unexplored planets. I am the automated computer program on this vessel."

Apple Bloom turned to her friends. "Well at least now we know where we are."

Scootaloo put her face on the ground and her hooves over her eyes. "Ugh, these long words are making my head hurt."

Apple Bloom turned to Sweetie Belle. Sweetie met her gaze. "Well that explains it, we're on a spaceship."

The computer spoke again, "There is no longer a living crew residing on board, so whoever is currently on board is the new crew. Please state your name and rank."

The three fillies hadn't an idea in the slightest on what to do. Scootaloo shrugged and said her name. Sweetie Belle follow suit, and Apple Bloom last.

"Thank you." The computer said. "Now, time to pick a captain."

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><p><strong>Next Chapter: Soon.<strong>

**Leave a review with your thoughts.**

**/)**


	8. Inquiry

"A Captain?" The fillies exclaimed.

"Affirmative. It is customary for the next Captain to be selected from existing crew occupants." the computer responded.

"Cool." Said Scootaloo.

"We ain't no crew. We don't even know where in Equestria we are." Apple Bloom commented.

"Awe, can't we at least see which one of us this place chose to be captain?" Scootaloo suggested.

Apple Bloom and Sweetie Belle paused for a moment. Then, they agreed with Scootaloo.

"Okay, Computer." Sweetie Belle said, "Which one of us is the captain of this ship?"

"Analyzing." said the computer.

All was silent for a moment. Then another. Then another, as the computer scanned brain patterns, physical strength, intuition, and many more facts about each of these young fillies, which it had only just come in contact to.

The Crusaders stood in silence for almost a minute when a portion of the wall beneath the monitor on the wall flipped. Hanging on the wall now, were three uniforms. There was one for each filly, and their names and ranks were sewn into the uniform. They each approached the uniforms, and examined them closely.

"The one called Sweetie Belle has been appointed captain and is chief science officer, congratulations." Stated the computer. "The one called Scootaloo is commander and chief engagement officer, congratulations. The one called Apple Bloom is lieutenant commander and chief engineer, congratulations."

After the announcement, the Crusaders looked at their uniforms, they now made at least a little sense. Sweetie Belle's had a Blue top, that zigzagged black around the waist. Apple Bloom's had a yellow top, and came up to the base of her ribs in black, but was yellow down the middle. Scootaloo's was the most plain it was red on the top, with a black trim around the bottom of it. They all had identical black pants, and similar badges were mounted on the wall They each held their badges in their hooves.

The badges were a ball with a single strange symbol on it, with wings coming off of the circle, and something that resembled a unicorn's horn rising out of the back of the circle.

The Crusaders were astonished.

"Hey." Apple Bloom said, "Maybe we're not cave explorers, but space explorers!"

"Psh!" Scootaloo said. "Yeah right. We can't just fly on out of here."

"Well how do you know?" Apple Bloom asked.

"Good point." Scootaloo remarked. "Let's ask it. Computer, how many ponies does it take to fly this thing?"

There was a slight beep before the computer responded. "The average crew capacity for the crusader class exploration vessels, is four hundred and fifty crew."

"See?" Scootaloo said. "Not possible."

"Although," the computer continued. "The crusader class ships are more then capable of flying with as many as one thousand crew members, or one single crew member."

"Oh." said Scootaloo.

Sweetie Belle had put on her full uniform, including her badge.

Apple Bloom and Scootaloo each looked at her, surprise evident in their eyes. It was as if the uniform had changed her appearance some how, or that it was made specifically for her. The uniform had somehow given her a commanding aspect. It was a complicated feeling, but the essence of command was there, in the way she carried herself, and the way the uniform made her appear. Scootaloo and Apple Bloom each felt like they could trust her with their lives, and follow her lead wherever that may be.

Sweetie Belle's seriousness was gone, and a huge grin slit her face. "Oh my gosh! Can you believe it? I'm captain of a spaceship!"

Scootaloo's and Apple Bloom's shocked expressions vanished in an instant. "I know!" Scootaloo said "And I'm engagement officer? What does that mean? Am I getting married?"

The computer answered her question. "Negative. A separate definition of the word engagement is, combat or security. You are in charge of the ship's security and weapons systems."

Scootaloo raised an eyebrow. "So, I'm not getting married?"

"Negative"

Scootaloo heaved a sigh of relief. And Apple Bloom spoke up. "Well then what the hay do I do? Sweetie Belle's captain. Scootaloo's in charge of weapons. Whatever that means. So what do I do?"

The computer answered her question, as well. "You, Apple Bloom, are in charge of the engine and ship repair and maintenance."

Apple Bloom groaned. Then looked towards Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo. "You two are lucky one of you gets weapons, the other flies the ship, and all I do is make sure it works."

"Whoa whoa whoa." Scootaloo said. "I get weapons? Do you know what those are?"

Sweetie Belle and Apple Bloom shook their heads.

The orange pegasus continued. "Weapons are used to kill or destroy things. Like, the Royal Guard's spears."

The other two ponies gasped in astonishment. "Y-you mean this ship is a warship?" Sweetie Belle asked.

The computer came on again. "Negative. This vessel is primarily for exploration purposes. The lasers, cannons, torpedoes, and many other weapons systems are for emergency situations only."

The ponies relaxed a little. suddenly, Apple Bloom yawned and her stomach growled at the same time. All three fillies laughed, before Sweetie Belle and Scootaloo yawned as well.

"I'm hungry." Said Apple Bloom. "Me too." Said Scootaloo.

Sweetie Belle produced an apple from inside her pack and gave it to Apple Bloom. "There's more in the packs." She said.

Scootaloo nodded and began to fetch the apples. Apple Bloom laid down and ate her apple on the floor, while Sweetie Belle continued to look around. Scootaloo returned to Apple Bloom and began to eat her apple. After Apple Bloom finished, she joined Sweetie Belle in examining the room. She was quickly followed by Scootaloo.

They examined consoles and looked over the screens, especially the ones with the colors that matched their uniforms, for they were their stations. They explored, and asked an occasional question, before Scootaloo tackled Sweetie Belle and wrestled her to the ground, playfully.

"ROAR!" She said. "I'm an alien space monster, and I've got you right in my trap!"

Apple Bloom laughed and knocked her off of Sweetie Belle. "Don't worry Sweets. I've get her!"

The fillies played for more than an hour and a half, until they exhausted themselves. It was now well past their bedtimes, and dark was setting in deep. They fell asleep on floor of the bridge of the ship, content, and without a care in the world.

Meanwhile, Rarity was weeping over an armchair about losing her sister. Twilight, Rainbow, Pinkie, and Fluttershy were searching long into the night for the lost fillies. Applejack and Big Mac were scavenging Sweet Apple Acres for any sign of the Crusaders. All anypony was able to find was their checklist, with caving checked off.

The ship itself began it's regeneration process and data restoration. In orbit, the ship's start up didn't go unnoticed. In orbit, somepony detected it.

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><p><strong>Next Chapter: Soon!<strong>

**What'd you think? Suggestions? Likes? Dislikes? Comment below.**


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